DEMAND FOR tickets for tomorrow’s All-Ireland hurling final is double what it was for the drawn game three weeks ago, according to Galway hurling officials.
Galway hurling board chairman Joe Byrne said an estimated 40,000 supporters cheered on the Tribesmen in the drawn game, but demand this time around was “crazy”. “We had magnificent support in Croke Park for the drawn match and there will be an enormous crowd from the county again there – but there is just no way there are enough tickets to go round.
“We have been overwhelmed by the number of people hoping to go. Searches have been going on throughout the country in a bid to get tickets. We got about 14,000 tickets for the drawn match and yet there were 40,000 from Galway in Croke Park. So hopefully people can use their initiative again this time,” he said.
It is 24 years since Galway won the last of their four All-Ireland senior titles – and their first appearance in the final for seven years has seen hurling fever grip the county. Byrne believes the GAA’s decision to reduce ticket prices for the replay has been central to the unprecedented demand, with stand tickets dropping from €80 to €50 and Hill 16 tickets being reduced from €40 to €25.
“The child tickets which have been made available at €10 are proving a huge hit. We distributed them through the clubs and there was massive demand.
“It has been bedlam. A huge effort was put into preparing for the drawn match, and it took a big effort to do it all again. But we see it as a welcome problem and know that every other county around the country would love to have this problem to deal with in September.
“Hopefully it can all be crowned with a win against Kilkenny. It has been a huge lift to the county and we are grateful for all the support we have received,” added Byrne, a former Galway underage playing colleague of manager Anthony Cunningham.
Special trains and buses from Galway have been booked out amid the hope that the second exodus from the west to Croke Park will end more successfully than Mayo’s appearance in the football final. Meanwhile, a search was continuing yesterday for a 20ft banner from team sponsor Supermac’s, which went missing overnight from Oranmore.
The fast-food chain holds the longest-running sponsorship of a hurling team and managing director Pat McDonagh is hopeful Galway will finally lift the All-Ireland title after 22 years backing the side.
“They are a superb bunch of lads and we are just proud to be associated with them. They have given the county some great days and deserve every bit of success that comes their way,” he said.
The Galway team will be welcomed back to the city on Monday evening. A civic reception will take place at the GAA headquarters in the county at Pearse Stadium in Salthill at 7pm.